The extensive mangrove forest of Gorai Creek, Mumbai coast, has recently seen substantial deterioration. The results of a study on mangrove diversity conducted in Gorai Creek on the Mumbai coast from June 2017 to May 2018 are presented here. During the course of the study, twelve species of mangroves from five families and eight genera were identified in each of the three study locations along the creek. Avicennia marina accounted for 13.44% of the Gorai creek marshes, confirming its predominance. Sonneratia alba, Avicennia officinalis, Rhizophora apiculata, Bruguiera cylindrica, Kandelia candel, and Acanthus ilicifolius are among the mangrove species found in the estuarine embayment, with other species strewn around. A diverse range of species, including endangered migratory birds and herpetofauna, can be found in these mangrove environments. Mangroves have been observed to have narrowed in density with time, and it is critical to begin conservation efforts as speedily as humanly possible.

1. International Journal of Forest, Animal and Fisheries Research (IJFAF)
ISSN: 2456-8791
[Vol-6, Issue-4, Jul-Aug, 2022]
Issue DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijfaf.6.4
Article DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijfaf.6.4.4
Int. J. Forest Animal Fish. Res.
www.aipublications.com/ijfaf Page | 22
Mangrove ecology and species distribution along the Gorai
Creek of Mumbai coast, Maharashtra, India
Vidya Padmakumar, Murugan S
Department of Zoology, Bangalore University, Bangalore, India
Email: vidyapkumar3@gmail.com
Received: 31 Jul 2022; Received in revised form: 20 Aug 2022; Accepted: 25 Aug 2022; Available online: 31 Aug 2022
©2022 The Author(s). Published by AI Publications. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Abstract— The extensive mangrove forest of Gorai Creek, Mumbai coast, has recently seen substantial
deterioration. The results of a study on mangrove diversity conducted in Gorai Creek on the Mumbai coast
from June 2017 to May 2018 are presented here. During the course of the study, twelve species of
mangroves from five families and eight genera were identified in each of the three study locations along
the creek. Avicennia marina accounted for 13.44% of the Gorai creek marshes, confirming its
predominance. Sonneratia alba, Avicennia officinalis, Rhizophora apiculata, Bruguiera cylindrica,
Kandelia candel, and Acanthus ilicifolius are among the mangrove species found in the estuarine
embayment, with other species strewn around. A diverse range of species, including endangered migratory
birds and herpetofauna, can be found in these mangrove environments. Mangroves have been observed to
have narrowed in density with time, and it is critical to begin conservation efforts as speedily as humanly
possible.
Keywords— Avicennia marina, Gorai creek, Mangroves, Mumbai
I. INTRODUCTION
Mangrove forests are tropical and subtropical trees, shrubs,
and ferns that grow in the intertidal zones between land
and sea (Clough, 2013; Tomlinson, 1986). Wetlands are
among the most biologically diverse ecosystems, and their
great carbon sequestering potential helps to mitigate the
effects of rising atmospheric CO2 (Jennerjahn and
Venugopal, 2002). The name "Mangals" distinguishes the
mangrove ecosystem from other plant types (Macnae,
1968). Because of its rich biodiversity and distinctive
habitat, the mangrove ecosystem commands special
attention among coastal habitats. Because of the successful
interplay of land and water, this environment contains a
varied faunal and floral variety (Murugan and Anandhi,
2017). The mangrove ecosystem plays an important role in
pollutant trapping, coastal land stabilization through
sediment filtering, and natural disaster protection
(Elizabeth McLeod and Rodney V. Salm, 2006). Wetlands
cover an area of about 1, 37,760 km2
worldwide (Giri et
al., 2011), with India accounting for about 3.5 % of that, or
4921 km2
(Forest Survey of India, 2017). With an area of
304 km2
, the Indian state of Maharashtra contributes 6.2 %
of the overall mangrove cover. Mangroves cover 66 km2
along the Mumbai shoreline. The management of the
rapidly dwindling mangrove ecosystem necessitates a
thorough grasp of the ecosystem's compositional intricacy
(Dislich and Pivello, 2002). Biodiversity inventories are
essential before forest management activities to assess the
nature and species distribution (Sagar et al., 2003).
Mangroves have indeed been devastated or altered by 50%
in the last two decades, regardless of their importance
(Padmakumar and Joseph, 2022). They are vital habitats
for a variety of faunal species, providing shelter, food, and
breeding chances (Mestre et al., 2007). Wetlands are home
to more than 40% of bird varieties and around 12% of all
other faunal species on the planet (Rajpar and Zakaria,
2010). Mangroves have long been established as playing
an important role in estuary ecosystems, sustaining many
of the other animals that depend heavily on the luscious
wetlands for existence.
Many researchers have investigated the floristics of
marshes along the Mumbai coast since 1905. However, the

2. Padmakumar et al. International Journal of Forest, Animal and Fisheries Research (IJFAF)
6(4)-2022
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exact mangrove species found along the Mumbai coast's
Gorai Creek is unknown. As a result, the current research
was carried out to better understand the complex nature
and species richness of mangrove forests in the Gorai
region, with the goal of protecting the shoreline.
II. MATERIALS AND METHOD
Study Area: With an average elevation of 10 to 15 meters,
Mumbai is located between the latitudes of 18°96' N and
72°81' E. It is a seven-island city off India's west coast, in
the 'Konkan' region. The research was carried out near
Gorai Creek, which is about 10 ft above sea level and is
between 19°14'12.69" N and 72°49'12.51" E. The stream
extends inland for 12 km and is made up of mangrove
mudflats and low-lying marsh. Gorai-Charkop is located
on the creek's southern end, whereas Gorai settlement is
located on the northern end. The area is heavily influenced
by semi-diurnal tides that swamp the creek's lower
reaches.
Data Collection: Field data collection was carried out
between June 2017 and May 2018. The area was explored
to learn more about the distribution of actual mangroves.
The mangrove vegetation was identified and documented
at 10 sites (Figure 1) along the Gorai Estuary. Regular
surveys were conducted along the estuary's research sites
to document the presence of mangroves. The mangroves
were identified during their blossom and fruiting seasons,
and images were captured using Nikon D300 digital
single-lens reflex camera. Standard field guides such as
Kathiresan and Ajmalkhan (2013) and Tomlinson (2013)
were used to identify mangrove species Tomlinson (1986).
Species nomenclature was mostly based on Tomlinson
(1986), however, it was also confirmed using the
International Plant Names Index (IPNI).
Fig. 1: Map showing study sites at Gorai Estuarine Area,
Mumbai coastline
The following standard equations were used to
compute biodiversity indexes such as diversity index,
species richness index, and evenness index.
Shannon - Wiener diversity index (H') (Shannon - Wiener,
1949) was used to determine the diversity index.
Where,
Pi = S / N
S = number of individuals of one species
N = total number of all individuals in the sample
Ln = Natural logarithm
Margalef's species richness index (d) was used to calculate
the species richness index (Margalef, 1958).
Where,
S = total number of species
N = total number of individuals in the sample
Ln = Natural logarithm
Pielou's species evenness index (J') was used to analyze
the evenness index (Pielou, 1966).
Where,
H = Shannon -Wiener diversity index
S = total number of species in the sample
ln = Natural logarithm
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
There were a total of 12 distinct mangrove species
identified, divided into five families Acanthaceae
(34.54%), Rhizophoraceae (34.85%), Myrsinaceae
(3.12%), Euphorbiaceae (5.41%), and Lythraceae
(15.62%). With three and five species, respectively,
members of the Acanthaceae and Rhizophoraceae families
were the most prevalent mangroves, followed by
Lythraceae with two species. Avicennia marina and
Acanthus ilicifolius were more widespread than other
mangrove species among the 12 true mangrove species
found along Gorai Creek. According to the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species, all of the species recorded were of
Least Concern (LC) (IUCN, 2017). Table 1 shows the

3. Padmakumar et al. International Journal of Forest, Animal and Fisheries Research (IJFAF)
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dispersion of mangrove species across different research
stations. Avicennia officinalis, a tough species with a wide
range of adaptations, is the most important invader species
of the mangrove environment, followed by the presence of
Rhizophora sps (Arun and Shaji, 2013). Because the soil is
saturated daily by sea water, mangrove variety along the
coast is frequently associated with Rhizophora sps (Basha,
1992).
By producing a single annotated index of biological
collections, the diversity index aims to evaluate an
ecosystem's richness and make understanding, protection,
and exploitation of living resources easier. In general,
Shannon's index ranges from 1.5 to 3.5 for a well-
diversified area, and it is regarded as 0 when there is no
diversity (Margalef, 1972). When compared to the typical
range, H′ = 1.5-3.5, the Shannon-Wiener diversity index
was maximum at Site 3 (2.180) and least at Sites 4 and 9
having only a value of 1.680, showing substantial diversity
in the mangroves (Shannon and Weiner, 1949). The results
show that there is a huge diversity of species in the marsh.
The highest value of Margalef's Species Richness was
found at Site 4 (2.616), while the lowest was found at Site
3 (2.176). The Pielou's evenness index was highest at Site
1 (0.966) and lowest at Site 6 (0.917) (Table 2).
Shannon and Wiener index values, Margalef's species
richness index, and Pielou's evenness index values reflect
the average diversity and inequitable dispersion of
mangrove species across the zone.
Along India's west coast, Maharashtra's coastline
region is noted for its abundant mangrove variety. The
composition of mangrove flora has been negatively
changed as a result of increased anthropogenic activity,
resulting in the deterioration of estuaries and wetlands
(Dwivedi, 1973; Nammalwar, 2008). In contrast to
previous records (Kantharaj et al., 2018), the current
investigation found Kandelia candel, Rhizophora
mucronata, and Sonneratia alba. Temperature, salinity,
tidal pattern, and freshwater intake are all environmental
characteristics that affect the distribution of mangrove
species and are unique to each ecosystem (Duke et al.,
1998). The concentration of nutrients, heavy metals, and
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are constantly
increasing in most creeks along the Mumbai coast due to
sewage water inflow (Sukhdhane et al., 2015). In the
mangrove habitats of Mumbai, Kantharajan et al., 2017
have found the presence of pollutants suggesting
molluscan species such as Neripteron violaceum and
members of the Ellobidae family (Cassidula and
Melampus). Furthermore, due to the reduced influx of land
runoff and salt generation in the upstream regions, salinity
in Mumbai coast creeks remains >31 ppt all year (Kulkarni
et al., 2010). Hypersaline conditions are favorable for the
establishment of high salt-resistant species such as A.
marina, which was found in abundance at the locations. A.
marina was also found to be dominant in the mangrove
forests of Thane Creek along the Mumbai coast, according
to Shindikar et al., 2009. Along the Arabian Sea's
bordering regions and India's northwestern coastline, A.
marina comes to the fore. The presence of A.marina on the
West Coast of India might be due to the high saline
environment (Saenger et al., 2002; Sawale and
Thivakaran, 2013).
Fig. 2: representing the percentage of mangrove families
in the study area.
IV. CONCLUSION
The amplitude and periodicity of tides, nutrients, monsoon
seasons, and prevalent stresses all impact the structure of
an estuarine system. Because the effect of these elements
varies greatly across geographic locations, mangrove
stands have a wide range of regional and local structural
traits. As a result, knowing the local-level forest structure
is critical for their management. Various human activities,
such as dumping rubbish and disposing of sewage, as well
as overexploitation for salt, fishing, navigation, and leisure
activities, have put mangrove ecosystems along the Gorai
creek in jeopardy. The species diversity and structural
complexity still reveal the recovering character of the
mangroves along the shore. In addition, low-saline-tolerant
species such as S. caseolaris and K. candel could be
endangered by the presence of high-saline conditions
along the Gorai region. Though a high-saline environment
is favorable for the sustainability of A. marina,
monospecies dominance diminishes the ecological and
economic services provided by mangroves. The lack of
knowledge on the geographical distribution and habitat
needs of mangrove species is the most significant
hindrance to conservation efforts. As a result, the current
study's findings give baseline data for effective mangrove
protection and management throughout the Gorai region.
Table 1: showing the distribution and red list category of mangroves in Gorai Creek

4. Padmakumar et al. International Journal of Forest, Animal and Fisheries Research (IJFAF)
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Species name Family
Site
1
Site
2
Site
3
Site
4
Site
5
Site
6
Site
7
Site
8
Site
9
Site
10
Red
List
Catego
ry
Avicennia marina
Acanthaceae
+ - + + - + - + - + LC ↓
Avicennia officinalis - + - + + - + - - + LC ↓
Acanthus ilicifolius + - + - + + + + + - LC?
Rhizophora
apiculata
Rhizophorace
ae
- + + - + - + - - - LC ↓
Bruguiera
cylindrica + - - + - + + + + - LC ↓
Kandelia candel - + + - + + - + - + LC ↓
Rhizophora
mucronata - - + + + - + - - - LC ↓
Ceriops tagal + + + - + + + + - + LC ↓
Aegiceras
corniculatum Myrsinaceae - - + - - + - + + - LC ↓
Excoecaria
agallocha
Euphorbiacea
e + + + + + - + + + + LC ↓
Sonneratia apetala
Lythraceae
- + - + - + + + + + LC ↓
Sonneratia alba + - + - - - + + + + LC ↓
+ denotes occurrence
LC ↓—Least Concern with decreasing population trend.
LC?—Least Concern with unknown population trends.
Table 2 indicating the diversity, richness, and evenness of mangroves at the study sites
Biodiversity indices Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 4 Site 5 Site 6 Site 7 Site 8 Site 9 Site 10
Diversity index (H) 1.730 1.770 2.180 1.680 1.790 1.780 2.040 2.060 1.680 1.850
Richness index (d) 2.378 2.510 2.176 2.616 2.463 2.451 2.364 2.286 2.525 2.518
Evenness index (J’) 0.966 0.986 0.994 0.935 0.921 0.917 0.927 0.939 0.940 0.950
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